The Usage and Credibility of Information Sources for Cancer Prevention Cases of American and South Korean Women

Abstract

This study investigated the types of information sources related to women’s cancer that have been used and perceived as credible by women in two culturally different countries: South Korea and the U.S. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted with 330 American and 317 South Korean women. Results revealed significant differences between South Korean and American women not only in popular and major information sources for women’s cancers, but also in the levels of credibility that the respondents placed on each information source. It was also found that cancer information via human channels was perceived as more credible than that of media channels in both countries. Based on the findings, several implications for planning and executing effective communication strategies to deliver cancer-related information to target women were discussed.